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Old 07-14-2022, 11:16 PM   #1
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Acrylic or Vinyl .... replacement Fabric?

I plan to replace both our toppers and main awning fabric. I have read a lot of posts here and the big question I still have is ..." do I get Vinyl or Acrylic?" The truth is I would not know the difference either way nor do I have any idea what is on our RV now.



I would like to get some feedback from other who have replaced their awnings maybe a few years ago to learn how the awnings are holding up.


I would like you to understand that we are hosting/camping this summer in a nation forest and the internet is not something we get a lot of. So I may not be able to reply as I would like to. Please do leave your comments and know I will read them at some point. We are home now for a week and will be back with the trees on the 20th until Labor day.


Thank you all in advance for your comments and feedback....


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Old 07-15-2022, 04:40 AM   #2
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Slide toppers (qty 2): 2017, vinyl, replaced them myself (with a friend)
Awning (qty 1): 2021, acrylic, replaced by Stone Vos
Window toppers (qty 2): 2021, acrylic, replaced by Stone Vos

All purchased from Stone Vos (link to fabric page is here).

On my coach, four inches of the slide toppers were always exposed to the weather. I live in the Northeast. Snow, ice and frost are common. Vinyl is supposed to be more forgiving. They held up well.

On my coach, the awnings are encased in metal covers and thus protected from snow, ice and frost. It made sense to replace them with acrylic.

I know a fellow whose coach did not have the metal covers. He had replacements made with vinyl for the first foot, followed by acrylic. This protects the acrylic from sun and weather.

If you're willing to pay the price, Stone Vos sells quality products. The owner, Ingrid, has always taken the time to discuss options with me.
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Old 07-15-2022, 01:52 PM   #3
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Sunbrella is a solution dyed acrylic made by Glen Raven. It's the fabric of choice for all outdoor uses.
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Old 08-04-2022, 12:22 AM   #4
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I replaced my slide toppers myself, material custom cut and instructions from 'Tough Tops' in Vancouver, WA, great folks to deal with. A very high-quality vinyl product.

My acrylic patio awning looked great year after year, CA, AZ, and FL sun every winter for 9 years. The color was great, never faded. But the original OEM fabric had a horizontal seam in the middle, and one day in 2019, a huge, unexpected gust hit (just as I was hitting the button to bring the awning in) and I saw that horizontal seam just split from one side to the other.

Replaced it with new acrylic fabric, but this time, no horizontal seam. The tech doing the replacement pointed out that the threads had given out from UV exposure over the years, but the old acrylic fabric was still very good.

All the new surfaces are holding up very well. The slide toppers are especially nice, quiet, little sag, and roll up easy and tight, much better than the oem ones ever did.
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Old 09-11-2022, 08:07 PM   #5
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Thanks everyone for your input. Please forgive my tartiness on this reply. Our current location has poor internet. (Nation Forest in Pa)
I am going to lookat all you said. Cost while an issue is not my only factor. I plan to keep this rig going so I want to do it right.
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Old 09-12-2022, 04:26 PM   #6
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A point that would seem to be small can turn out to be really big!

When looking for folks to build the cover, it can pay to go to those who do outside items like awnings more often than they do inside like chairs and cushions! The above mention of thread is the point as some last far better outside while some are far better/easier to work for inside where it is out of the weather.

Cotton versus nylon??

I do not sew and do not know one from the other but I feel it worth finding out what they will use and getting good thread to go with good fabric!
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Old 09-12-2022, 09:25 PM   #7
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Up date with a question:


So I was looking again at my awning. I see there is a 1 inch piece of fabric between my rig and the shield. I have not seen any mention of this linking piece in any of the videos I have watched on replacement. I also have not seen any mention of this linking piece from any of the replacement fabric companies. So the question becomes, what do I do about this "missing link? It does not make sense to me to replace the main fabric and leave this piece.


I would not want this "Missing Link" to become my " Weakest Link" . ( Sorry I just couldn't pass the double pun up)


I would be grateful for your thoughts of this question and further thoughts of what fabric to use.


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Old 09-13-2022, 10:40 AM   #8
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Does your coach have a Carefree of Colorado with Uniguard and a Soft Connect (link here).
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Old 09-13-2022, 01:49 PM   #9
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The fabric is somewhat like that but I do not have a Carefree. We have an A&E 8500 awning. I will add a photo of the area I am looking at once it stops raining. Day 3 and still going ...


I looked at the video an the link for the Carefree unit. it was helpful and I am thinking I will need to do something about like that . I just need to find the right piece to put in.


Thanks
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Old 09-15-2022, 01:31 PM   #10
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Here is the link I am taking about: This is not my awning but a snip-it from a video. It is still raining and the photo is just the same as mine. ( except mine is in worse shape) we are just hope the awning holds up until we get done hosting for the season. ( 3 more weeks). I also do not have the fabric under the shield but only between the shield and the rig.


Do you have any thoughts about "Tough Tops" company? I also would like to get more info about "Sunbrella" Fabric and companies that use it for RV awning replacement.

It is my hope to order the fabric now and have it waiting for me when we get home.


Thanks
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Old 09-15-2022, 11:55 PM   #11
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My experience with 'Tough Tops' was great. Excellent help when needed, backed up their products, excellent fabric. I replaced slide topper fabric with them a couple times, always satisfied with their timing, shipping, and product.

I had my actual awning replaced by 'Shade Pro Inc' because I had previous experience with them, and their technician was local to our then Sun City, AZ campground. As a 70 year old, I figured I could handle the slide toppers, but not sure about a 20' awning.

Loved our acrylic fabric, but the oem awning had a horizontal seam across the middle, and after 10 years, the threads gave out in a freak windstorm. The new Shade Pro fabric had no such seam, and threads had extra uv protection built in.

Good Luck.
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Old 09-16-2022, 03:43 AM   #12
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See the attached, page 5, for drawings of the connection between the cover and rail.
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Old 09-17-2022, 10:37 AM   #13
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Thanks Mark for the PDF.
I read through it but party of it does not make sense to me based on what I am seeing on my awning. But it may become more clear once I get my fabric and start the project. It maybe that the fabric was replaced once before I got the rig. That could explain why I do not have the canvas under shield section.


I am still om the fence as to what "type" of fabric to get. I guess everything is going to vinyl. I am still looking into that Sunbrilla fabric but I can not find a place that makes replacement awnings for RV that uses this materiel. Having a background in theater production I know that I need to find a company that knows how to make this type of awning and not just a company that has the equipment to sew something this large ( like a sail fabricator). I have worked in more than a few theaters that thought differently and replacement many curtains as a result.


Thanks everyone for your input...


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Old 09-17-2022, 10:50 PM   #14
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Lets keep it simple. Vinyl is a plastic surface, totally waterproof. Acrylic is a woven material, still sheds water just fine, but is a bit breathable so condensation is less of a problem.

Everyone has their preferences. My past vinyl awnings faded a bit over time. The acrylic looked like new years and years later. I personally like the acrylic over vinyl, but it might be a bit more expensive.
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Old 09-18-2022, 12:08 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Journey39n View Post
Lets keep it simple. Vinyl is a plastic surface, totally waterproof. Acrylic is a woven material, still sheds water just fine, but is a bit breathable so condensation is less of a problem.

This is what I needed to hear. I thought this was the case but I was not sure until now.. Thanks.


I would like to find a company who uses both materials to get a quote both ways. I can spend the few extra dollars, I just want to get the best I can afford. I was ready to buy from Tough Tops but they only sell vinyl. I may still go that way but I would like to get a quote on acrylic to be able to compare.


My present awning is made up of several layers and Ii still am unclear if new replacements are currently made the same way or just a single layer. I am guessing that vinyl is single layer, so my concern would be stretching over time. I need help understanding the different products. While I can afford to replace all my awnings at one time, I do not want to do it twice ( at least not for a number of years ).


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Old 09-18-2022, 04:33 AM   #16
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If you haven't yet done so, I encourage you to call Ingrid at Stone Vos. Stone Vos sells both types of fabrics. She will be able to tell you what your options are for the flexible connection at the upper edge.

There's a link to Stove Vos' Web site in post #2.
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Old 09-18-2022, 10:37 PM   #17
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I think most vinyl awnings and slide toppers are made with at least three if not more layers, but they can stretch (my oem slide toppers stretched from snow load).

In my opinion, no particular facts, is that I like the acrylic for awnings, and the vinyl for slide toppers. I believe with the awning you can clean it off better from the ground level if debris fall on it. But with slide toppers, leaves, twigs, acorns, etc. seem to collect more readily. And the only way to really clean them off is to climb up on the roof and sweep/wash them off.

I do this if we park under certain types of trees for any length of time, but a quick overnight, perhaps not. My reason is that vinyl may hold up better with some debris being rolled up when the slides come in.

And so far, my 12 years of full timing seems to bear this out. But I repeat, only my experience, others may have different, and just as valid observations.
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Old 09-19-2022, 12:43 PM   #18
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.... But with slide toppers, leaves, twigs, acorns, etc. seem to collect more readily. And the only way to really clean them off is to climb up on the roof and sweep/wash them off.

.
First, Thanks for your input. I had not thought of using different fabric at different locations, so now I have more to think about. lol.


A far as clean up/off, I carry a telescoping ladder and use either a broom or my cordless blower, ( this doubles as great wet wood fire starter) I am a big guy and the thought of me on the roof scares me. You will never see me on TV at a NASCAR race sitting on the roof with a drink in my hand.


As way as an update, I have emails out to both Tough Tops and Stone Vos. I am waiting for their replies.


---- 12 years full timing, Boy I am sure there are a lot of stories around the campfire ---


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